The Tholian Web (episode)
While trying to rescue the Starfleet ship USS Defiant, Captain Kirk disappears when the dead ship is pulled into interspace. Summary Log Entries *''Captain’s log, stardate 5693.2. The Enterprise is approaching the last reported position of the starship Defiant, which vanished without trace three weeks ago. We are in unsurveyed territory. '' Memorable Quotes "I believe you have those qualities, but if you can't find them in yourself, seek out McCoy, ask his advice, and, if you find it sound, take it. Bones, you just heard what I told Spock. Help him in any way you can, but always remember that ''he is the captain." : - '''Kirk', from his final orders for Spock and McCoy. "It does hurt, doesn't it?" : - McCoy, to Spock after hearing the tape. "The renowned Tholian punctuality." : - Spock, noting the best-known trait of the Tholians "All it does is merely deaden certain nerve inputs to the brain." "Well, any decent blend of Scotch'll do that." "Oh yeah? Well, one good slug of this, and you could hit a man with phaser-stun, and he'd never feel it, or even know it." "Does it make a good mix with Scotch?" "It should." "I'll let you know." :- McCoy and Scotty, discussing the merits of the interspace antidote. Background Information * This is the third time the Enterprise has encountered another Constitution Class starship with the entire crew dead. The others were in "The Doomsday Machine" and "The Omega Glory." * The Exo III graphic from "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" makes a reappearance in the sickbay of the Defiant. * As in "Balance of Terror", in which it was redressed with red curtains and a podium, a redecorated briefing room set doubles as the ship's chapel. * A wonderful effects shot was set up in this episode and not used. A dead crewman is projected onto the floor of the Defiant's sickbay for DeForest Kelley to put his hand through. Unfortunately, only a tight close-up of his hand penetrating the body ended up being used. * The images of the brutally-killed crew of the Defiant, especially those in the engineering section, are rather graphic for 1960s television. Several regular extras from the series double as dead Defiant crewmembers, most notably Paul Baxley as the Defiant's Captain. This scene was recreated with amazing accuracy in ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly" * Note that none of the insignia on the tunics of the dead Defiant crew are clearly visible. This allowed the producers to re-use standard Enterprise tunics without the need to create a new insignia. * As Chekov looks upon the carnage in the engineering room of the dead ship, one of Walter Koenig's reaction shots is looped several times to make it longer. * Cold blue light infuses the impulse engines of the Defiant to show that they are inoperative. * 'Star Trek' was nominated for an Emmy Award for the special effects in this episode. The effects were a collaboration by Mike Minor and Van DerVeer Effects. Minor also designed the Tholian mask. * Spock refers to "the renowned Tholian punctuality", so it seems that Starfleet had encountered the Tholian race before. This fact is later corroborated by ENT: "Future Tense". * Just before the berserker engineer leaps down on Mr. Scott, we get a view down from the top of the ladder - this is the only time we see Engineering from this angle. Look carefully, and you can also see the colored lights behind the set that were used to light up the engineering consoles! * Ralph Senensky began the direction of this episode, but was fired and replaced by Herb Wallerstein. The signature wide angle shots used to show the viewpoint of a person affected by interspace were used by Senensky to great effect in "Is There in Truth No Beauty?." * The spacesuits in this episode were seen again in "Whom Gods Destroy." * When Dr. McCoy enters Spock's quarters with the theragen, the mirror wobbles. The person controlling the door behind the mirror bumped the wall while operating the door cables. * The rather incredible title for this episode in Japan is "Crisis of Captain Kirk Who Was Thrown into Different Dimensional Space." * Although he is paraphrasing the words of Kirk, this is the only time Spock refers to McCoy as "Bones." * When Kirk's "ghost" appears on the bridge, he is mouthing the words, "Hurry, Spock!" * Dr. McCoy seems to appear at an incredibly opportune time in the bridge. On the other hand, he was probably attending at the bridge in order to discuss his report with Spock. He was expecting something to happen to the members of the away-team, and Chekov was the first to show symptoms of what had happened to the crew of the Defiant. * Spock, in collaboration with McCoy, slightly lies to Kirk at the end of this episode. Cutting himself off from finishing his sentence so that he doesn't flat out lie, and so his "No" at the beginning of his line could have meant anything. * ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly" and "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II" would later serve as sequels to this episode, and as prequels to TOS: "Mirror, Mirror". * When Kirk comments, upon his return, that he prefers a crowded universe much more, he gives an appreciative look at Lt. Uhura. * As Spock grips Chekov's head on the bridge as he goes berserk, a scream is dubbed in where it is obvious that Walter Koenig was not actually screaming. * Stock footage from "The Paradise Syndrome" is used for James Doohan in one brief clip in Engineering, evidenced by his totally different hair style. * Even though Chekov was taken away to sick bay, when we see the Tholian on the view screen, the back of Walter Koenig's head is still visible at the navigator station. Production timeline * Story outline "In Essence – Nothing" submitted * Final draft script , filmed early and mid-August. Links and References VHS edition available through Amazon under ISBN 6300988600. Main cast * William Shatner as Kirk * Leonard Nimoy as Spock * DeForest Kelley as McCoy * James Doohan as Scott * George Takei as Sulu * Nichelle Nichols as Uhura * Walter Koenig as Chekov * Majel Barrett as Chapel Guest Stars * Sean Morgan as O'Neil * Barbara Babcock as the voice of Loskene (uncredited) * Paul Baxley as the Defiant captain (uncredited, see USS Defiant (NCC-1764) personnel) * Frank da Vinci as Brent (uncredited) and stunt double for De Kelley * Bob Bralver as berserker engineer * Jay Jones as dizzy engineer and James Doohan's stunt double * Lou Elias as berserker at funeral service * Unknown actor as orderly * William Blackburn as Hadley (uncredited) * Roger Holloway as Roger Lemli (uncredited) References ''Defiant'', USS; environmental suit; Exo III; interphase; mutiny; Scotch whiskey; theragen; Tholian Assembly; Tholian starship; Tholian web; transporter accident; tri-ox compound. DVD Media Information * Star Trek: The Original Series, Volume 32 (original two episode single-disc release) * ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' - The Complete Third Season (disc 3 of the set) External Links * Tholian Web, The de:Das Spinnennetz es:The Tholian Web nl:The Tholian Web